Ezra 6
Legacy Standard Bible
The Scroll with Cyrus’ Decree Is Found
6 Then King Darius issued a decree, and a (A)search was made in the [a]archives, where the treasures were deposited in Babylon. 2 And in [b]Ecbatana in the fortress, which is (B)in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows:
“Memorandum—
3 (C)In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree:
‘Concerning the house of God in Jerusalem, let that house, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be [c]retained, its height being [d]60 cubits and its width 60 cubits;
5 And also let (E)the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and [g]brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall deposit them in the house of God.’
6 “Now (F)Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the [h]River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, [i]keep away from there.
7 Leave that work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild that house of God in its designated place.
8 Moreover, (G)I issue a decree concerning what you shall do for those elders of Judah in the rebuilding of that house of God: the full cost is to be given to those people from the royal treasury out of the tribute of the provinces beyond the River, and that without negligence.
9 Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and anointing oil, according to what the priests in Jerusalem say, it is to be given to them daily without negligence,
10 that they may bring sweet-smelling sacrifices near to the God of heaven and (H)pray for the life of the king and his sons.
11 And I issued a decree that (I)any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be pulled out from his house and he shall be impaled on it and (J)his house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this.
12 May the God who (K)has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who [j]stretches out his hand to change it, so as to destroy that house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be done with all diligence!”
The Dedication of the House of God
13 Then (L)Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent. 14 And (M)the elders of the Jews were building and succeeding through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. So they built and completed it according to the decree of the God of Israel and the decree (N)of Cyrus, (O)Darius, and (P)Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 And this house was brought to completion [k]on the third day of the (Q)month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
16 And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the [l]exiles, (R)celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 They brought near for the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel (S)12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 Then they appointed the priests to (T)their sections and the Levites in (U)their divisions for the service of God [m]in Jerusalem, (V)as it is written in the book of Moses.
Passover Celebrated
19 (W)And the exiles celebrated the Passover on (X)the fourteenth of the first month. 20 (Y)For the priests and the Levites had cleansed themselves together; all of them were clean. Then (Z)they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves. 21 Then the sons of Israel who returned from exile and (AA)all those who had separated themselves from (AB)the uncleanness of the nations of the land to join them, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate the Passover. 22 And (AC)they celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with gladness, for Yahweh had caused them to be glad and (AD)had turned the heart of (AE)the king of Assyria toward them to [n]strengthen them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Footnotes
- Ezra 6:1 Lit house of the books
- Ezra 6:2 Aram Achmetha
- Ezra 6:3 Or fixed, laid
- Ezra 6:3 Approx. 90 ft. or 27 m, a cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
- Ezra 6:4 As in Gr; Aram a layer of new timber
- Ezra 6:4 Lit king’s house
- Ezra 6:5 Lit go
- Ezra 6:6 The Euphrates River, so in ch
- Ezra 6:6 Lit be distant
- Ezra 6:12 Lit sends his hand
- Ezra 6:15 Lit until
- Ezra 6:16 Lit sons of the captivity
- Ezra 6:18 Lit which is in
- Ezra 6:22 Lit strengthen their hands
Ezra 6
King James Version
6 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.
6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.
8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.
17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,
22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
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